Abstract

The prediction is experimentally confirmed that bright spatial solitons can be formed in spontaneously self- defocusing azo-doped polymers through a photoisomerization process, namely, angular hole burning. The experiments are actually the realization of a scheme of light-controlling light. Both linearly polarized and circularly polarized light can propagate as solitons in such media. The solitons with the same intensity but with different polarizations have different widths. The experimental results are further theoretically explained.

Photographs of the bright beams at the input and output faces. Shown in both sides are corresponding intensity profiles. 35μm input CP beam (1a) goes to self-trapped (1b) with the help of a background light, linearly diffracts to 90μm (1c), and self-defocuses to 141μm (1d). 49μm input LP beam (2a) goes to self-trapped (2b), linearly diffracts to 119μm (2c), and self-defocuses to 196μm (2d).

(a) Numerical solutions of bright solitons and output solution passing through the 4mm sample when the loss is considered. The center of the output solitons has been moved rightward for visual effect. (b) Existence curves of bright solitons.